Roman Olgovich of Ryazan (1237-1270)
}} Roman Olgovich (1237-19 July 1270) - Grand Prince of Ryazan (1258-1270), an Orthodox saint, the only son of Oleg Ingvarevich Krasnyi. Biography Early years Prince Roman Olgovich of Ryazan was born, not long before the invasion of the Tatars on the Russian land, in 1237. According to the princely custom, his parents gave him the Slav name Yaroslav, and then baptized him Roman. Childhood and youth of Roman fell to the very first period of the Mongol-Tatar yoke and this left an imprint on the fate of Roman. His father, Prince Oleg Ingvarevich, was captured by Batu Khan). It is not known how the young prince Roman escaped from the Tatars. Some historians suggest that he was taken to Murom by the bishop of Ryazan and Murom Yephrosyn Svyatogorets. In 1252 his father, Oleg Ingvarevich Krasnyi, returned home after fourteen years of captivity, and in 1258, feeling the approach of death, Prince Oleg was tonsured and took the monastic name of Kosma. He gave the throne to his son Roman and died peacefully. The reign of Roman Olgovich Roman Olgovich ascended to the throne, after his father's death, on March 20, 1258. At that time the important Grand Principality of Ryazan was slowly recovering from the Tatar invasuon. Prince Roman Olgovich took over the administration of the principality and, during the twelve most difficult years of his reign, managed to keep the Ryazan lands from new ruin. At that time Berke Khan died in the Horde and Mengu-Timur reigned. Unquestioningly obeying Mengu-Timur, the Ryazan prince fulfilled the demands of the new ruler. This went on for four years. During the collection of tribute by the Horde basqaqs, Roman Olgovich did provide them due assistance, instead sympathizing with the principality's population. The Tatar tribute collectors (basqaqs) were angry against the prince, as he constantly opposed any form of violence from the collectors and defended his subjects. In 1257 the Tatars adopted Mohammedanism, and began to blaspheme the Christian faith attempting to persuade the Russians to accept Islam. The head Basqaq of Ryazan went to the prince of Ryazan himself suggesting that the he should change his faith, but the latter strongly refused. The daring speech of the prince led the arrogant Mongol into a rage. Wanting to take revenge, the Basqaq reported to the Khan Mengu-Timur that the pious Prince Roman had cursed the Khan and defamed his pagan faith. There were people who confirmed the slander. Believing his informants, Mengu-Timur got angry at the prince and ordered him to immediately appear in the Horde. Before leaving, Prince Roman distributed the inheritance of the principality among his sons and took the Holy Communion. Upon his arrival to the Horde, Mengu-Timur ordered him to choose one of two: either martyrdom or the Tatar faith. The prince replied that he recognized the khan's power, but no one will force him to change his faith. Tatars began to beat the prince, and then he was cast into prison in chains. On the morning of July 19, he was taken to be executed. Roman Olgovich began to tell the assembled people, among whom there were many Russians, about the holiness of the faith of Christ; therefore his tongue was cut off. Then the Tartar cut out his eyes, cut off his fingers and toes, then his ears, lips and nose, and finally cut off his and feet ВТ-ЭСБЕ - Роман, русские князья " Veneration According to tradition, the holy relics of the martyr Roman Olgovich were secretly transferred to Ryazan and buried with reverence. The burial place remained unknown. The church started the veneration of prince Roman as a saint immediately after his martyrdom. Contemporaries called him a new martyr and compared him with the martyr James Intercisus commemorated on 27 November (10 December o.s.) On 19 July 1812, on the commemoration day of Prince Roman, the Russian troops won the first victory in their fight against the French Army at Kljastitsy. In memory of this, the image of the Holy Prince Roman was painted on the wall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow. According to legend, on the icons the prince was portrayed as follows: "The prince is not old, with hair blond, curly, falling on his shoulders with a thin wave, in a sable coat on his shoulders, in a velvet pendant; the right hand is stretched out for prayer, and the left one holds the city and the church. " Since 1854, a religious procession and a paraklesis (moleben) take place in Ryazan on the day of St. Roman's commemoration. In the main altar of the Cathedral of Saints Boris and Gleb, Ryazan there is a portable throne consecrated in the name of the holy Prince Roman of Ryazan. The first church dedicated to the holy martyr Roman of Ryazan was consecrated on 2 October (20 September o.s) 1858 by Archbishop Smaragd Kryzhanovsky (1796-1863) at the bishop's country dacha in Novopavlovka. Prince Roman was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. His memory as a martyr is honored on the day of his death - July 19 o.s. (August 1). Family and ancestors Father : Oleg Ingvarevich Krasnyi (c1215-1258) -Grand Prince of Ryazan (1252-1258), a local saint. Wife : Anastasia - came from the family of the Grand Duke of Kiev and was distinguished by sincere faith and charity. Children : * Fyodor Romanovich of Ryazan (c1255-1294) - Grand Prince of the Ryazan (1270-1294). * Yaroslav Romanovich of Ryazan (c1258-1299) - Prince of Pronsk (1270-1294), Grand Prince of Ryazan (1294-1299). * Konstantin Romanovich of Ryazan (c1260-1306) - Prince of Pronsk (1294-1299), Grand Prince of Ryazan (1299-1301), killed in Moscow captivity. Bibliography * ВТ-РБС -Рязанские князья -Андреев А., Корсакова В. * ВТ-ЭСБЕ - Роман, русские князья * Коган В.М., Домбровский-Шалагин В.И.: Князь Рюрик и его потомки: Историко-генеалогический свод * Славянская энциклопедия. Киевская Русь - Московия , pp. 260-261 * Экземплярский, А. В.'' Великие и удельные князья Северной Руси в татарский период, с 1238 по 1505 г. — Sankt Petersburg.: Типография Императорской Академии наук, 1891. Т. 2: Владетельные князья владимирских и московских уделов и великие и удельные владетельные князья Суздальско-Нижегородские, Тверские и Рязанские — 696 с. Ссылки * ЖИТИЕ СВЯТОГО БЛАГОВЕРНОГО КНЯЗЯ РОМАНА РЯЗАНСКОГО (память 19 июля/1 августа) * Роман Рязанский, образ на Храме Христа Спасителя * Category:People tortured to death Category:Christians executed for refusing to convert to Islam Category:Grand Princes of Ryazan